This invention relates to a printer, particularly, to a printer which prints on a roll paper and cuts the roll paper to discharge the printed slip to an exterior thereof.
A related printer, as shown in FIG. 1, is provided with a printing portion 11, a cutter mechanism 12 and a discharge port 13, which are arranged along a transporting route 14 of a roll paper 15 (only an unrolled part is shown while a paper roll is not shown).
The printer executes a print operation by using the printing portion 11 while transporting the roll paper 15 toward the discharge port 13. Subsequently, the printer further carries the roll paper 15 to put a printed part of the roll paper 15 on a downstream position of the transporting route 14 with regard to the cutter mechanism 12. Then the printer cuts the roll paper 15 by the cutter mechanism 12 to separate the printed part. Hereby, the printed part, which is a part of the roll paper 15, is discharged as the printed slip (e.g. as a receipt) from the discharge port 13 to the exterior of the printer.
Generally, the discharge port 13 is a mere opening. However, the printer illustrated in FIG. 1 is provided with a brush 16 near (or inside) the discharge port 13 to hold the printed slip. The brush 16 is attached to a cover 17 so that the tip of the brush 16 is in contact with a guide plate 18 which defines a lower edge of the discharge port 13. The brush 16 holds the roll paper 15 (or the printed slip), which is transported along the guide plate 18, together with the guide plate 18.
Such a printer is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-310848.
Regarding a printer for a receipt, there are two demands. One is that a printed slip can be held at a discharge port and the other is that a printed slip can fall freely without being held at the discharge port. In a case where two different type printers are manufactured to meet these conflicting demands, according simple arithmetic, double costs are required in comparison with a case of manufacturing only one type. Accordingly, it is desired that common parts are used in the two different type printers as much as possible.
The related printer mentioned above is provided with the brush near the discharge port to hold the printed slip. The brush is merely attached to an inside of the cover, which defines an upper edge of the discharge port, by a double-faced adhesive tape. Accordingly, the brush is easily detached from the cover. However, in many cases, the printed slip cannot fall freely even if the brush is detached from the cover. This is because the brush is not for holding the roll paper which may fall but for preventing the roll paper from turning back by resilience of a remaining rolled shape.
On the other hand, in a case where a brush is attached to another printer designed for a free fall of a printed slip, there is a problem that it is impossible to hold a printed slip certainly without impeding transportation of a roll paper.